FOSSIL BEARS 445 



Pleistocene times, was one of the commonest of Carni^'o^ous 

 creatures during the vei\' early times of the present era. It 

 was as huge as a Polar lieur or a Grizzly. The skull is remark- 

 able for the fact tliat the first three premolars, which are small 

 in all P>ears, dropped out early in life. An immense number of 

 names have been gi\-eu to what are in all proljability the same 

 species as this Cave Bear of remote antiquity. 



Hi/i/fUdirfiis is tlie oldest genus of true Ursidae. It goes 

 back into Middle iliocene times, and ranged over Europe and 

 Xorth Africa. 



Arctotherium is an American genus of Pleistocene times. 

 The likeness of some of the extinct Canidae to Bears has been 

 already commented upon. 



